RAPID: Impact of Hurricane Florence on well quality in communities surrounding coal ash impoundments in North Carolina

飓风佛罗伦萨造成风暴潮、历史性降雨和大范围洪水后，北卡罗来纳州宣布进入紧急状态。洪水导致煤灰储存场坍塌。煤灰是煤炭燃烧产生的副产品，是美国产生的最大类别的工业废物之一。研究人员已经观察到受煤灰影响的河流和私人威尔斯井中有毒金属的含量升高，如砷、六价铬、硒、锶和钒。人们对洪水对煤灰场的影响知之甚少。北卡罗来纳州有85,000多名水井用户所在的县的煤灰蓄水池受到飓风佛罗伦萨的影响，这表明存在潜在的重大污染风险。这项研究的假设是，私人威尔斯周围的洪水影响煤灰蓄水池的重金属污染的风险增加。通过这项快速赠款，研究小组将进行时间和空间采样，以评估可能受煤灰蓄水污染影响的社区中与洪水相关的井水危害。此外，还将分发调查表，以获取信息，改善受影响井业主的沟通、教育和赋权。该研究项目旨在：1）描述受洪水影响的煤灰蓄水的县的井水重金属和细菌污染的特征; 2）检查与洪水准备和恢复相关的井用户的风险感知、行为和资源需求; 3）确定特定地点的危险接近度、水文地质因素、井施工特征和增加污染可能性的井用户行为。必须对无机污染物进行评估，以确保居民拥有安全的饮用水。指纹技术已被开发出来，以确定饮用水中的重金属污染源，无论是从井水基础设施和煤灰来源。然而，这些方法还没有被广泛用于系统地追踪淹没的私人威尔斯井中重金属污染的来源。此外，当地北卡罗来纳州卫生部门还被要求保留建井记录，这些记录可用于进一步了解洪水期间可能影响污染物输送的建井因素。最后，对油井所有者的调查将提供有关油井所有者准备和恢复行为的宝贵知识。这些信息来源共同支持煤灰蓄水池附近社区的定制应急规划资源和恢复战略。该研究项目将提供深入了解的潜在来源和污染途径的微生物和有毒金属污染的洪水影响的威尔斯附近煤灰网站，并将有助于阐明井业主的资源需求，这将使自主井水protection.This奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并已被认为是值得的支持，通过评估使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准。

A state of emergency was declared in North Carolina after Hurricane Florence caused storm surges, historic rainfall, and widespread flooding. The flooding caused collapses at coal ash storage sites. Coal ash is a waste byproduct from coal combustion and is one of the largest classes of industrial waste generated in the United States. Researchers have observed elevated levels of toxic metals, such as arsenic, hexavalent chromium, selenium, strontium, and vanadium, in the rivers and private wells impacted by coal ash. Little is known about the impacts of flooding on coal ash sites. There are more than 85,000 North Carolina well users in counties where coal ash impoundments have been impacted by Hurricane Florence, demonstrating a potentially significant risk of contamination. The hypothesis of this study is that private wells surrounding flood-impacted coal ash impoundments are at increased risk of heavy metal contamination. Through this RAPID grant, the research team will conduct temporal and spatial sampling to evaluate flood-associated well water hazards in communities potentially affected by contamination from coal ash impoundments. In addition, surveys will be distributed to obtain information to improve communication, education, and empowerment of impacted well owners. This research project aims to: 1) characterize well water heavy metal and bacterial contamination in counties with flood-impacted coal ash impoundments; 2) examine well users' risk perceptions, behaviors, and resource needs related to flood preparation and recovery; and 3) determine site-specific hazard proximities, hydrogeologic factors, well construction characteristics, and well user behaviors that increase the likelihood of contamination. Inorganic contaminants must be evaluated to ensure residents have safe, potable drinking water. Fingerprinting techniques have been developed to determine the sources of heavy metal contamination in drinking water, both from well water infrastructure and coal ash sources. However, these methods have not been widely utilized to systematically track the source of heavy metal contamination in flooded private wells. In addition, local North Carolina health departments are required to maintain well construction records, which can be used to further understand well construction factors that can influence contaminant transport during flooding. Finally, surveys of well owners will provide valuable knowledge about well owner preparedness and recovery behaviors. These information sources collectively support customized emergency planning resources and recovery strategies for communities near coal ash impoundments. This research project will provide insights into the potential sources and contamination pathways of microbial and toxic metal contamination in flood-impacted wells near coal ash sites and will help elucidate well owner resource needs that will enable autonomous well water protection.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.